Ronald Gordon's Ride
Why I Ride ...
Dear Friends and Family,
I am honored that you are visiting my PMC web site and are allowing me to tell you my story. Our story.
Cancer has affected me and the ones about whom I care more than anything else. I have lost my mother, 2 grandparents, an aunt, no less than a half-dozen great aunts and uncles, and other extended family (including my sister-in-law's father and Laura's best friend's mother this past year). The father of my best friend from college was given an effective death sentence of advanced brain cancer, and overcame the odds to a shocking degree. My sister-in-law, her siblings, my brother, and I all had our thyroids removed because of suspected (and, in all cases, discovered) precancerous cell growth.
The list goes on. Of course, we're all adults and, difficult as it is - excruciating, in fact - to deal with any of these situations, at least we know what the score is. Cancer, unfortunately as you all know, doesn't stop with adults.
Meet Kayleigh Rose, the cute kid to the left. Her Mom, Corinne, works with my wife Laura, and she and her brother Michael play with my kids Josh and Eliza. We've gotten to be good friends, all of us. Kayleigh is 4 years old, and until the week before this writing, her biggest concern was cooling off after scoring her seven goals in soccer. Last week, however, Kayleigh was diagnosed with Stage III hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer that affects children Kayleigh's age and younger. Now, instead of learning her ABC's in preschool, Kayleigh has been forced to learn big words like Chemotherapy, metastasis, and transplant.
The tragic part of all this is that Kayleigh is neither the only nor the last child that, through no desire of their own, must fight a hideously difficult battle, one that many much older and seemingly wiser than she, yours truly included, cannot begin to comprehend. The PMC will provide an outlet for lots of kids like Kayleigh that are involved in a struggle to beat some form of cancer. As I begin to embark on this challenge, I am constantly aware that Kayleigh has already embarked upon the fight of her life.
Kayleigh is special to us. And I have chosen to ride the PMC for Kayleigh this year. I do it not because I think it will directly ease her battle with her cancer. It won't. I do it to let her and her Mom and Dad and brother know that they are not alone in this battle. Every pedal stroke I take will be a cry out for Kayleigh to fight and get better. Every dollar donated to the PMC (99% of which directly benefits The Jimmy Fund) is a message to Kayleigh - and others in her predicament - that we are invested in her wellness.
With apologies to Corinne for plagiarizing a great poem on Kayleigh's CarePage, and to Dr. Seuss for messing with it:
I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind
Some come from ahead and some come from behind
But I've brought a big bat road bike, I'm all ready you see
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me.
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Thank you for making it this far. Please give to the PMC under Gift ID RG0103.
Peace, Ron
Update: Since this was written in January, Kayleigh has had several rounds of chemo and a liver transplant. Yet, 2 weeks ago, there we were at her 5th birthday party with all her friends. It ws likely one of the greatest birthday parties to which I have ever been, even with the rain and thunder.
Kayleigh has also become the Pedal Partner for Team LEGS, with whom I ride. This means that Kayleigh is now the focus of the ride for a whole group of people dedicated to beating cancer with their bikes.
I also want to thank my law firm, Fish & Richardson, P.C., for matching donations given by my colleagues and holding an ice-cream fundraiser, complete with raffle for an iPod Shuffle. Thanks to Betsy Butler for putting it all together.
Update 29 July 2008: RIP Bill Goghan. Bill had been fighting brain cancer for 30 months. He leaves wife Judy and son Jason.
Ronald's PMC Total
$36
Goal
$4,000
My Progress
My Online Supporters
| I have chosen to keep all of my donors' information confidential; therefore it is not displayed on my PMC public donor list. |
My Rides
| 2010 | $36 | |
| 2009 | $36 | |
| 2008 | $4,000 | Sturbridge to Provincetown Inn (2-Day) |
| 2007 | $36 | Sturbridge to Wellesley (2-Day) |
| 2006 | $3,400 | Sturbridge to Provincetown Inn (2-Day) |
| 2005 | $2,236 | Wellesley to Wellesley (2-Day) |
| 2004 | $1,750 | Wellesley to Bourne (1-Day, Sat) |
